Future Broncos: 3 Prospects to Watch in Week 13 of College Football

In this week’s installment of Future Broncos, Christopher Hart gives you three more prospects to watch in Week 13 of College Football.

We are entering the final stretch of the College Football Season’s regular schedule before the playoffs begin. Week 13 of the College Football Season is here. For today’s installment of Future Broncos, I give you three more prospects for Broncos Country to scout and put on your respective draft wish list’s if you haven’t already.

Mikail Kamara, Edge — Indiania Hoosiers

One of the great storylines of this year has been the turnaround of the Hoosiers program under Curt Cignetti. After five years at James Madison, Cignetti took over the reins at Indiania and vowed to turn them into a winning program. And the biggest surprise? How quickly he delivered on that message.

They are 10-0 on the season and the fifth-ranked program in the nation. Today they face off in a premier Big Ten matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Could a little bit of magic happen on the field today? Stranger things have happened, but this game is a must-watch for all college football fans.

One player that followed him from James Madison and has been integral to their success was defensive end/edge rusher Mikail Kamara. For his 2023 efforts with 52 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, the former three-star recruit earned All-Sun Belt honors. The uptick in competition hasn’t slowed down Kamara this year. To date, he has put up 39 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles on the season.

At 6’1” and 240 pounds, Kamara might not have the desired size or length for an edge rusher, but he makes up for his lack of physique with a great first step off the line of scrimmage. His size is comparable to former Bronco Shaquil Barrett. On top of that, he sports a relentless motor that never goes down a notch at any point in the game. He’s a plus run defender and one of the draft’s most premier pass rushers.

Kamara’s multiple torn labrum injuries will require more diligence at the NFL Combine and during the pre-draft circuit, but there’s no doubting he has been one of college football’s biggest rising draft prospects this season.

Armand Membou, RT — Missouri Tigers

Over the past few weeks, I talked about several players on the South Carolina Gamecocks roster in T.J. Sanders and Kyle Kennard. After watching last week’s matchup against Missouri, one particular player for the Tigers really stood out for me keeping their pass rushers at bay—right tackle Armand Membou.

If there are two words to describe his play, I’d use mauler and brawler. At 6’3” and 314 pounds, he is a heavy load for opposing defenders to handle. He has started every game for the Tigers since the final five of their 2022 campaign and has been a standout player and tone-setter for them on offense. He’s widely regarded as one of the most athletic offensive linemen in this class and that shows up on film when asked to go on the move.

A kick inside to the interior is likely for Membou in the pros, but teams in need of a physical and nasty demeanor on their line with a lot of starting experience will certainly be intrigued by his skill set. The Broncos don’t have a major need at right guard considering Quinn Meinerz is in the fold long-term, but Head Coach Sean Payton is a fan of adding beef to the trenches.

Overall, he is a well-rounded prospect with violent hands and good technique that make him a formidable force as a run blocker and pass protector. You can catch Membou in action against Mississippi State this afternoon.

Darien Porter, Cornerback — Iowa State Cyclones

I haven’t really focused much on cornerback over the season since the Broncos appear to be set with their top three players in Patrick Surtain II, Riley Moss, and Ja’Quan McMillian. However, it’s hard to ignore Iowa State product Darien Porter. He is enormous for a cornerback at 6’4” and 190-pounds. I’m digging deep into Broncos history by bringing up this name, but his size reminds me of Lenny Walls—anyone remember him?

Porter is a sixth-year senior for the Cyclones that spent his first three years at wide receiver before making the switch to the defensive side of the ball. It took a while for him to hit his stride, but this season he has taken his play to a whole other level.

His ball skills and athleticism show up on tape and he has three interceptions this season. He is also a track star and expected to run under a 4.4 40-yard dash. Porter is well-rounded in all coverages asked of him. He has one of the best coverage grades in college football and is a big reason why the Cyclones’ passing defense is ranked third in the nation.

Additionally, he is also a stud on special teams with numerous blocked punts over the course of his collegiate career. His prowess in the game’s third phase is certainly going to earn him bonus points from team’s when concocting their final grades on him.

When the draft finally rolls around, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is a Top 100 player. Broncos Country might have some qualms about Porter’s projection and fit considering the Brendan Langley experiment (another wide receiver turned cornerback) was an abject failure—but it’s important to keep an open mind about prospects.

You can catch Porter in action against Utah this evening.